What do cold air intakes do, and why would you want to install one on your car's engine? Read on and learn about the power benefits of this relatively simple, inexpensive yet economical upgrade for your ride.

It's POWER!

That's really all there is to it. Cold air intakes can be used to substantially increase the horsepower of automotive engines. Cold air intakes have been around since the 1980s, but have come a long way since those early days when they were little more than a plastic tube fitted to the carburetor with a cone-shaped cotton gauze air filter on the end.

Today, cold air intakes are made from a variety of materials, including powder-coated steel and aluminum that can be painted to match your vehicle's finish.

Why You Need a Cold Air Intake

As you know, motor fuel doesn't burn by itself. It requires the presence of oxygen in order for combustion to take place. In the old days (and on most vehicles built prior to 1980), the carburetor served this function, atomizing the fuel into microscopic droplets that were combined with oxygen in the air to create a fine, combustible mist.

Today, fuel injectors have replaced the old carburetor, but the air intake is still a necessary part of the equation. Unfortunately, while today's engines are still technologically far superior to those manufactured 30 years ago, they have many components that make for a very crowded engine compartment ? meaning there's little air circulation. As a result, the air that does come into the fuel mixture is several degrees warmer than the outside air.

How Cold Air Intakes Work

Hopefully, you paid attention in science class when you were in school. If you didn't, here's a short refresher on Second Law of Thermodynamics, which among other things, says that hot materials expand and cold materials contract.

This is the basic principle behind cold air intakes. In hot air, flammable oxygen molecules are far apart; this results in less oxygen in the fuel mixture, hence less efficient burning.

In cold air however, the flammable oxygen molecules are more densely packed together. This means more oxygen for the fuel mixture, resulting in substantially more efficient combustion.

While the basic method by which cold air intakes operate is the same (essentially, bringing cooler air into the fuel system from outside the engine compartment), there are some minor variations in how this is accomplished:

-large diameter: some cold air intakes have a large bore, allowing greater airflow

-smooth interior surfaces: believe it or not, a rough surface on the inside of a pipe can actually slow up the flow of air

-direct route to stock air intake: providing the shortest route from the outside to the fuel system

-optimized length: the intake is designed to maximize airflow at certain speeds and RPMs.

The Benefits of Those who install cold air intakes on their vehicles can expect:

?increased horsepower

?better throttle response

?improved fuel mileage

?a really cool new look for your engine bay

?a powerful new sound from your motor

Take a look at the many cold air intakes available for your vehicle today.